(Mod) AMPS Development Thread

[mattb325 28,880]

Nice concept going on here, @RobertaME - good luck with all of the coding and tweaking, but it seems between yourself and @CorinaMarie, you're well on the way to getting it all sorted!

[RobertaME 1,376]

11 hours ago, 20huskies said:

Haha no worries, not preachy at all. ... Still looking forward to what you guys come up with!

Thanks!

9 hours ago, Skyroguen said:

Maybe after the Mod is finished and release there could be add-ons that include new ideas such a Microwave, Antimatter, Mana etc. as alternate power sources. 

OK... let me try to explain. Integrating a power lot into the mod requires assigning it a type and category. Types are Intermediate, Peak, and Base. Categories are Clean, Petroleum, Carbon, and Other. (I should have labeled them Clean, Fluid, Solid, and Other, but I digress) What type would a MANA power plant fall under? What is its Capacity Factor? How about its Power Rating? The usual 0.8... or would it be higher? Lower? How about Antimatter? It would be Clean Peak because you can adjust power release to meet demand and it would have no emissions... so what's its DOWNSIDE? Everything in the mod is balanced to not make other power plants obsolete. Even the 1.2 GW Fission Power Facility, which is a Clean Peak power plant, has downsides... it takes up a huge space, it sucks down gobs of water, costs a million § to build, and §100,000 per month. Could you imagine the cost I'd have to jack an Antimatter power plant up to in order to balance it?

Some things can fit in the mod... others just can't.

Keep in mind, anyone can still add ANY power plant to their install that they want. If someone has AMPS installed and still wants the Antimatter Power Plant, there's nothing stopping them... and the Antimatter plant would STILL function and provide power. The mod would just ignore it. It wouldn't be classed as Peak, Intermediate, OR Base... so it wouldn't affect power balance at all. It would in fact PREVENT brownouts caused by power imbalances. (like if for example you only build 1 GWh of Intermediate power plants for a city with 500 MWh demand, the only effect would be to increase power demand to 280% of normal, but that would be eaten by the output of the Antimatter plant)

Hope that explains things better. :^)

5 hours ago, metarvo said:

The idea of upgrades is intriguing.

Indeed, but WAY beyond my meager programming ham-handedness! I'll be lucky if I can just get it to WORK! :^Þ

5 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

Oh, my!

However, would you mind to try removing that from every reward conditional and then try this?

Oi! ::slaps forehead:: I just got them IN! Oh well... I did as you asked and tried it.

It didn't work... and nothing stopped lots from being plopped when you no longer met the conditions. So I tried setting several reward conditionals to a.frequency = 1... and nothing changed. So I set them ALL to a.frequency = 1 AND added run_grid_balance_variables () back in.

I saw no noticeable decrease in performance... and it STILL took rewards a month to show up. I tried several other values for a.frequency, setting them to 7 to try weekly... then 15 to try semi-monthly... but nothing changed. I'm not even sure that a.frequency does ANYTHING by what I can tell.

Hmmm.... weird.

5 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

I'm currently guessing the hard coded function which updates the quantities for each of the track_buildings is itself run as a housekeeping type thing. That's as quick as per SimMonth (and I suppose on a particular day of the month which might be why you saw it update in just a few SimDays sometimes), but it might also be one of those the game will put off for an extra month or two if it feels overwhelmed with other tasks. So, if the count of each building hasn't changed yet, each time the load balance function is run it'll still be working with the same building counts it had the last time it ran.

No disrespect intended, but I'm not sure that's right. Let me show you an example. This is done while the game is on pause... so no time is passing at all.

This reward LTEXT is pulling sc4game.automata.get_source_building_count(hex2dec("BB35004F")) to count Inverters in the city. The Reward Conditional for Inverters is:

     (((sc4game.automata.get_source_building_count(hex2dec("BB35014E"))*8)+8) <= sc4game.automata.get_source_building_count(hex2dec("BB35004F")))

where BB35014E is the number of Step-up Transformers built. Since that is 0, the equation works out to

     IF (8 <= Inverter Count) then display the Not Available LTEXT, otherwise reward_state.AVAILABLE

When I plop an inverter, nothing appears to change.

But then, those numbers are from a different Not Available LTEXT file than the Inverters, so I'm not surprised that it hasn't updated. So I plop 7 more Inverters...

And bingo! The count is properly reporting 8 Inverters plopped, despite no time having passed. This Not Available LTEXT is pulling the exact same function:

     sc4game.automata.get_source_building_count(hex2dec("BB35004F"))

And here we see that in the other get_source_building_count(hex2dec("BB35004F")) in another Not Available LTEXT, the same function appears to not have updated, even thought the picture above it proves that get_source_building_count(hex2dec("BB35004F")) has in fact updated. (otherwise the button would never have greyed out and displayed the Not Available LTEXT for Inverters)

From what I can see, even though the reward LTEXT calls get_source_building_count(hex2dec("BB35004F")), which seems to update in real time as shown above, the reward LTEXT is only referenced when the reward conditional is run. After that the output of the reward LTEXT file is stored somewhere in memory and not updated until the reward conditional is run again. It would seem then that what runs monthly are the checks for the reward conditionals, except that they ALSO run anytime a reward lot is plopped, but only the reward conditional for THAT lot. That's why I was wondering if you knew a way to force a call to a specific reward function other than plopping that lot... so I could force updates on related lots when conditions change such that they should no longer be available but they are still showing as available.

What I'm thinking may not be possible, but I figured if anyone here would know, it would be you!

[CorinaMarie 29,578]

51 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

No disrespect intended, but I'm not sure that's right.

No worries. I'm in almost completely new territory here for this aspect of Lua so my suggestion was what seemed logical to me. You are the only one who has the code in place to thorougly test these sorts of things.   My idea was a best guess type.

I do wonder: Does the value of the hex ID used when creating Lua reward code put them in the order they are executed?

 

1 hour ago, RobertaME said:

That's why I was wondering if you knew a way to force a call to a specific reward function other than plopping that lot... so I could force updates on related lots when conditions change such that they should no longer be available but they are still showing as available.

I did research this too, but came up empty for anything that looks like it could help. There does appear to be a way to trigger an event, but that then calls an attractor or repulser for automata. (Like the cement mixer trucks, moving vans, crowds, etc.)

Random idea: (Tho this won't help for Lua code.) What about setting each plopped lot to do the construction animation? Say 3 months required. It might be the delays in the updates to your load balance calculation will have to be an aspect peeps accept and by having buildings take a while to fully appear, that'd give the logical reason behind the delay. (I do know the construction part will work for plopped lots because CB set the Mayor house reward this way for me long, long ago.)

[RobertaME 1,376]

2 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

I'm in almost completely new territory here for this aspect of Lua so my suggestion was what seemed logical to me.

It was a logical conclusion. The process behind reward functions is sort of mysterious as we lack the source code to follow the logic after its been defined. We have to just hypothesize based on observation.

This is your typical reward routine modified by me to call run_grid_balance_variables () before the conditional so it always uses the most recent global variables.

a = create_reward_cityplanning(dist_substation_hex_id.kVA_500)
function a.condition()
	run_grid_balance_variables ()
	if  (TRANSFORM_AVAILABLE < kva_rating.ID_BB350020) then
		return [[text@BB352120]]
	else
		return reward_state.AVAILABLE
	end
end
a.frequency = 1
a.timeout = tuning_constants.ADVICE_TIMEOUT_LONG
a.title = [[text@BB352020]] -- title instance ID
a.message = [[text@BB352220]] -- body text instance ID
a.priority  = tuning_constants.ADVICE_PRIORITY_URGENT -- triggers popup
a.mood = advice_moods.GREAT_JOB -- green title
a.persist = 1

The global variable "a" is being defined as "create_reward_cityplanning(dist_substation_hex_id.kVA_500)". Replacing all variables with their values and eliminating whitespace, this code is functionally equivalent to...

function create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").condition() run_grid_balance_variables () if (TRANSFORM_AVAILABLE < 500) then return [[text@BB352120]] else return reward_state.AVAILABLE end end
create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").frequency = 1
create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").timeout = tuning_constants.ADVICE_TIMEOUT_LONG
create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").title = [[text@BB352020]] -- title instance ID
create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").message = [[text@BB352220]] -- body text instance ID
create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").priority  = tuning_constants.ADVICE_PRIORITY_URGENT -- triggers popup
create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").mood = advice_moods.GREAT_JOB -- green title
create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").persist = 1

So... this creates a function and sets 7 global variables. What I don't know is where these are used. What calls the function:

create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").condition ()

I wonder... what would happen if I included "create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").condition ()" as a function call into the conditional for all the other Distribution Substations?

I'll find out and report back.

Edit: It borked... because I forgot basic LUA call structure. ::forehead smack:: The call should be:

create_reward_cityplanning ("E9FDF13B")

Trying again...

  Edited February 22, 2021 by RobertaME  
Oops

[CorinaMarie 29,578]

16 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

This is your typical reward routine modified by me to call run_grid_balance_variables () before the conditional so it always uses the most recent global variables.

Cool! I wasn't aware that a non-conditional statement could be put there. That's useful.

 

16 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

I wonder... what would happen if I included "create_reward_cityplanning("E9FDF13B").condition ()" as a function call into the conditional for all the other Distribution Substations?

That sounds like a good test. Here's hoping all goes well.

[RobertaME 1,376]

27 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

Cool! I wasn't aware that a non-conditional statement could be put there. That's useful.

Yeah... I learned that in trying to get the reward conditional to use an updated set of variables each time.

27 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

That sounds like a good test. Here's hoping all goes well.

It didn't. I added function calls to all the substations' reward conditionals that was supposed to call the reward function of all other substation lots anytime any one of them was run. It didn't do anything.

The function:

create_reward_cityplanning ("LOT_GUID")

doesn't seem to do anything at all.

I have NO CLUE how the program uses those functions and variables. :^/

Edit: On thinking about it, I should have realized that just calling the function wouldn't do anything. All its doing is running an IF conditional and then returning an output. What CALLS those functions is what uses the data it puts out... and THAT'S what I want to call... but I have no idea HOW.

  Edited February 22, 2021 by RobertaME  
Duh...

[Skyroguen 67]

13 hours ago, RobertaME said:

OK... let me try to explain. Integrating a power lot into the mod requires assigning it a type and category. Types are Intermediate, Peak, and Base. Categories are Clean, Petroleum, Carbon, and Other. (I should have labeled them Clean, Fluid, Solid, and Other, but I digress) What type would a MANA power plant fall under? What is its Capacity Factor? How about its Power Rating? The usual 0.8... or would it be higher? Lower? How about Antimatter? It would be Clean Peak because you can adjust power release to meet demand and it would have no emissions... so what's its DOWNSIDE? Everything in the mod is balanced to not make other power plants obsolete. Even the 1.2 GW Fission Power Facility, which is a Clean Peak power plant, has downsides... it takes up a huge space, it sucks down gobs of water, costs a million § to build, and §100,000 per month. Could you imagine the cost I'd have to jack an Antimatter power plant up to in order to balance it?

Some things can fit in the mod... others just can't.

Keep in mind, anyone can still add ANY power plant to their install that they want. If someone has AMPS installed and still wants the Antimatter Power Plant, there's nothing stopping them... and the Antimatter plant would STILL function and provide power. The mod would just ignore it. It wouldn't be classed as Peak, Intermediate, OR Base... so it wouldn't affect power balance at all. It would in fact PREVENT brownouts caused by power imbalances. (like if for example you only build 1 GWh of Intermediate power plants for a city with 500 MWh demand, the only effect would be to increase power demand to 280% of normal, but that would be eaten by the output of the Antimatter plant)

Hope that explains things better. :^)

Thank you, your meaning is crystal to me. I guess mine wasn't so much.

What I should have said more plainly was. Let's get the mod completed as it is intended to be before we look at adding more to it.

The Fusion Power Plant, which is already included in the mod, is enough of a nod to future power development for now. (and it is probably included because it is a Maxis Original Powerplant.)

After the mod is completed, if someone else want's to figure how to add other futuristic power systems then go for it. By then you will have a functional mod to work with. But for now that is not what is planned for this mod. 

This is such an ambitious mod that I fully expect there will be mod mods for it after it is released.

[RobertaME 1,376]

1 hour ago, Skyroguen said:

This is such an ambitious mod that I fully expect there will be mod mods for it after it is released.

Almost definitely true, as this mod nerfs MOST of the STEX power plants that are supported... and even some Maxis originals. So it's sort of an "anti-cheat"... turning UP the difficulty when it comes to power management... whereas most power plant lots and mods here and on the SC4D LEX are intended to make power EASIER to manage.

So I have no doubt that once I have things up and posted, the first thing someone is going to do is turn down the difficulty by making power cheaper, easier to get, etc. and post their mod of this mod. I even made it easy to do by putting most variables in easy to modify tables. That will be necessary as we get into play testing if we find that some things are too difficult and others are too easy... making them all easily modified tables will greatly reduce tuning time.

Eh... everyone's entitled to their own fun. It's called "liberty". ;^)

Update: I'm about 95% through getting everything sorted for the Alpha release, which I expect to have up later today. It won't have the load balancing routines yet... they're still buggy and need sorting... but all the lot modifications, custom advisor dialogs, and interactive grid construction rules and limits are running like clockwork. I still don't have the custom query completed either, so all lots for the time being are using the default Maxis power plant dialog. Once completed, it will take the place of the default dialogue with additional data that will be critical to good grid and load management.

For the time being, it also requires ALL the supported power plants as dependencies. When I do the full release, I'll get with someone who's good at putting together installers and allow people to select which downloads they have or even just use the Maxis default plants, selectively installing any routines necessary for their selected mods and leaving out those they don't have or want.

Coming SOON!

[Propfam 2,287]

41 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

Almost definitely true, as this mod nerfs MOST of the STEX power plants that are supported... and even some Maxis originals. So it's sort of an "anti-cheat"... turning UP the difficulty when it comes to power management... whereas most power plant lots and mods here and on the SC4D LEX are intended to make power EASIER to manage.

So I have no doubt that once I have things up and posted, the first thing someone is going to do is turn down the difficulty by making power cheaper, easier to get, etc. and post their mod of this mod. I even made it easy to do by putting most variables in easy to modify tables. That will be necessary as we get into play testing if we find that some things are too difficult and others are too easy... making them all easily modified tables will greatly reduce tuning time.

Eh... everyone's entitled to their own fun. It's called "liberty". ;^)

Update: I'm about 95% through getting everything sorted for the Alpha release, which I expect to have up later today. It won't have the load balancing routines yet... they're still buggy and need sorting... but all the lot modifications, custom advisor dialogs, and interactive grid construction rules and limits are running like clockwork. I still don't have the custom query completed either, so all lots for the time being are using the default Maxis power plant dialog. Once completed, it will take the place of the default dialogue with additional data that will be critical to good grid and load management.

For the time being, it also requires ALL the supported power plants as dependencies. When I do the full release, I'll get with someone who's good at putting together installers and allow people to select which downloads they have or even just use the Maxis default plants, selectively installing any routines necessary for their selected mods and leaving out those they don't have or want.

Coming SOON!

Definitely the most ambitious, besides the NAM, CAM, and SC4Fix. If you count other contents, at the same level as True Earth. Wish you succeed!

[RobertaME 1,376]

::sigh::

Discovered a major bug while testing the package before zipping it up for Alpha release... as in CTD major. It has something to do with the Transmission Substations.

Between that and my family's unreasonable insistence that having clean clothes to wear is more important than working on my mod, I don't have an upload to share.

(kidding of course, I love my family and am glad to do things for them like their laundry)

I'll get it nailed down... I was just hoping that for ONCE I could make a deadline I set for myself!

It'll be done when it's done... that's my takeaway from this. Back to it...

Edit: EUREKA! It was a divide by zero error! I had inserted the following equation in my final edits:

AVERAGE_PRODUCTION_CAPACITY = game.g_power_consumed/game.g_power_production_capacity

but when you first start the production capacity is 0! In my original process, it was only being called when Transmission Substation count was greater than 0, so it would execute then and CTD. That's also why the bug was so hard to squash... if there was ANY power production in place, the error wouldn't occur.

I've eliminated the issue by just including the following routine in the run_grid_balance_variables () function:

    if (game.g_power_production_capacity > 0) then
        AVERAGE_PRODUCTION_CAPACITY = game.g_power_consumed/game.g_power_production_capacity
    else
        AVERAGE_PRODUCTION_CAPACITY = 0
    end

All neat and tidy! Testing should reveal no more issues. I don't know if I can package up an Alpha release today though... I have company coming over tonight. I'll do my best, though.

  Edited February 23, 2021 by RobertaME  
Euraka!

[RobertaME 1,376]

So @Skyroguen came over tonight and we field tested the pre-alpha version of the mod...

It was PERFECT! Even when I thought it had an error, it was just doing things I didn't remember it did! We made a small town from nothing. Big AG district, small commercial zone, and Industrial Manufacturing a ways away from the farms. First power plants were simple diesel and natural gas generators, but we put some transformers in and waited. Soon, we could build a 3 MVA substation, so we did and it unlocked the two smallest Nat. Gas plants and the Wood-burning Plant After the Wood-burner went online, the larger Nat. Gas plant went unavailable since we no longer had the distribution capacity to handle it AND the wood-burning plant at the same time, but the smaller Nat. Gas plant was still available, since we still had enough distribution capacity to handle it. PERFECT! Only issue we had was we couldn't get any residents to move in... which was worrisome. I'm not sure if it's due to my mod (some unforeseen side effect) or just because I haven't actually played the game in years and don't remember how to do it right! For the moment, I'm going to assume the latter.

I just need to run the LTEXT files through a spellchecker (there were a LOT of typoos and speeling erorrs, and there was a lot of bad grammaticals... :^Þ ) and I can get it out for other people to try and break it.

::happy dance::

[Propfam 2,287]

13 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

So @Skyroguen came over tonight and we field tested the pre-alpha version of the mod...

It was PERFECT! Even when I thought it had an error, it was just doing things I didn't remember it did! We made a small town from nothing. Big AG district, small commercial zone, and Industrial Manufacturing a ways away from the farms. First power plants were simple diesel and natural gas generators, but we put some transformers in and waited. Soon, we could build a 3 MVA substation, so we did and it unlocked the two smallest Nat. Gas plants and the Wood-burning Plant After the Wood-burner went online, the larger Nat. Gas plant went unavailable since we no longer had the distribution capacity to handle it AND the wood-burning plant at the same time, but the smaller Nat. Gas plant was still available, since we still had enough distribution capacity to handle it. PERFECT! Only issue we had was we couldn't get any residents to move in... which was worrisome. I'm not sure if it's due to my mod (some unforeseen side effect) or just because I haven't actually played the game in years and don't remember how to do it right! For the moment, I'm going to assume the latter.

I just need to run the LTEXT files through a spellchecker (there were a LOT of typoos and speeling erorrs, and there was a lot of bad grammaticals... :^Þ ) and I can get it out for other people to try and break it.

::happy dance::

Good luck with the spellchecker!

[CorinaMarie 29,578]

9 hours ago, RobertaME said:

It was PERFECT!

That's wunnerful to hear!

 

9 hours ago, RobertaME said:

Only issue we had was we couldn't get any residents to move in...

From the parts I've seen of your code, I cannot imagine it is interfering in any way which'll be a good thing if true.

[RobertaME 1,376]

On 2/24/2021 at 1:59 PM, CorinaMarie said:

From the parts I've seen of your code, I cannot imagine it is interfering in any way which'll be a good thing if true.

Tested a second time and yes... it was me. It had been so long since I played, I forgot how to increase residential demand!

That and I half remember something about how the region affects demands when you enter a city lot, run the game for a time, then exit without saving... that it tanks your regional residential demands. I don't remember where I read that... I think it had something to do with the Census Repository info... but I can't recall. If so... all those times I was using this region to test the mod, then exit without saving, I was tanking my regional residential demand. ::shrug:: Oh well. :^Þ

Update: Going smoothly in the edits. It's just time consuming. (the LTEXT files are spread out all over the place right now... when I get ready for the final release, I'm going to package them as a single language DAT so the mod can be translated from English more easily) That and there are other things than SC4 that fill my life! ;^)

Edit: Update to the Update!

Spellchecking is slow-going. I have nearly 300 LTEXT files that I converted to Word files so I could spellcheck them, but I'm also having to write some flavor text that until now just had placeholder text in them. In the process, I realized that some plants NEEDED st least some of the load balancing math, so I had to finish up THAT part of the LUA code early, or else some lots would never be available. (primarily the four Geothermal power plants) Things are looking good, though! It's been tested now three times and I haven't hit a snag in the actual code portion yet! (creative writing on the other hand... :shudder:: )

  Edited February 26, 2021 by RobertaME  
Update

[matias93 7,535]

2 hours ago, RobertaME said:

I'm going to package them as a single language DAT so the mod can be translated from English more easily

Please mention me when you have this ready, I can translate it to Spanish!

[Kloudkicker 4,561]

One is done, without a d. U C

[Kloudkicker 4,561]

Two is more than one that has been done.

[Kloudkicker 4,561]

Everyone wants to know how things are coming along.  @RobertaME. What should I tell them? 

[RobertaME 1,376]

3 hours ago, Kloudkicker said:

What should I tell them?

You can say I'm two thirds through spellchecking nearly 300 LTEXT files and the mod itself is running well in testing. Hopefully I'll have an Alpha release soon... I just can't let it go out right now with so many spelling and grammar errors. I need a good day of few distractions to get it done... but the world is conspiring to distract me. (my Mom's BD dinner is tomorrow... Dad was over for dinner tonight... life and stuff... etc.) I also should finish the UI files for the custom queries, but that's proving to be a lot more difficult to manage. I'm not going to hold the Alpha release just for that, though.

Back to it... or I'll NEVER get done!

[Propfam 2,287]

2 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

You can say I'm two thirds through spellchecking nearly 300 LTEXT files and the mod itself is running well in testing. Hopefully I'll have an Alpha release soon... I just can't let it go out right now with so many spelling and grammar errors. I need a good day of few distractions to get it done... but the world is conspiring to distract me. (my Mom's BD dinner is tomorrow... Dad was over for dinner tonight... life and stuff... etc.) I also should finish the UI files for the custom queries, but that's proving to be a lot more difficult to manage. I'm not going to hold the Alpha release just for that, though.

Back to it... or I'll NEVER get done!

Nice conspiration!

[CorinaMarie 29,578]

5 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

I also should finish the UI files for the custom queries, but that's proving to be a lot more difficult to manage.

You prolly already know this, but if not, Reader 1.5.4 is much better for UI editing than 0.9.3.

[RobertaME 1,376]

12 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

You prolly already know this, but if not, Reader 1.5.4 is much better for UI editing than 0.9.3.

Thanks! Yes, I did know... but that's not really my issue. (most of my edits are done through editing the raw text anyway, not using the GUI... because for me that's just easier... what can I say... I'm weird!) My main issue is that I'm having to learn how to put custom content that is not part of the normal UI interface in it. (making it return Global Variables) I'm learning how by looking at the Census building's UI, but all that is on hold while I fix a few hundred speeling tyypos. ;^) I am NOT a good typist... and unfortunately no version of the Reader has spellcheck!

I actively use BOTH versions of the Reader though because some things are just easier and quicker for me to do in the 0.9.3 version. (I loath ribbon interfaces) The 1.5.4 also has issues with LTEXT files that makes poking around the core files problematic. (at least it does on my PC... no idea if it's a known issue or not ::shrug:: ) But the 1.5.4 is better at searching Exemplars. (the 0.9.3 very often won't return valid search criteria for Exemplar searches... even when I KNOW the content is there where the 1.5.4 will work... mostly)

Back to it... ::sigh::

[Propfam 2,287]

12 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

Thanks! Yes, I did know... but that's not really my issue. (most of my edits are done through editing the raw text anyway, not using the GUI... because for me that's just easier... what can I say... I'm weird!) My main issue is that I'm having to learn how to put custom content that is not part of the normal UI interface in it. (making it return Global Variables) I'm learning how by looking at the Census building's UI, but all that is on hold while I fix a few hundred speeling tyypos. ;^) I am NOT a good typist... and unfortunately no version of the Reader has spellcheck!

I actively use BOTH versions of the Reader though because some things are just easier and quicker for me to do in the 0.9.3 version. (I loath ribbon interfaces) The 1.5.4 also has issues with LTEXT files that makes poking around the core files problematic. (at least it does on my PC... no idea if it's a known issue or not ::shrug:: ) But the 1.5.4 is better at searching Exemplars. (the 0.9.3 very often won't return valid search criteria for Exemplar searches... even when I KNOW the content is there where the 1.5.4 will work... mostly)

Back to it... ::sigh::

Ah yes, the broken 0.9.3 search. On the other hand, 1.5.4 has some compression issue. So, basically just a take or give situation.

[CorinaMarie 29,578]

14 minutes ago, RobertaME said:

1.5.4 also has issues with LTEXT files that makes poking around the core files problematic. (at least it does on my PC... no idea if it's a known issue or not ::shrug:: )

Yep, it's a very real problem for everyone and is prolly why 1.5.4 never really gained traction.

I believe it was @twalsh102 who explained to me one of the biggest causes being saving more than once. The recommendation was to make surgical edits, save, then exit the program completely before loading again and continuing. However, my own experience when the file was larger was even that didn't always prevent the bug so I only use 1.5.4 for the things where it does have an advantage, but I use extreme caution too backing up the files beforehand.

[RobertaME 1,376]

54 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

The recommendation was to make surgical edits, save, then exit the program completely before loading again and continuing.

I think I remember reading that somewhere. No disrespect to the writers of Reader 1.5.4 meant... I mean we all owe the people that have built and maintained the Reader for EVERYTHING we do... but that is just an unworkable solution. Having to follow that process just leads to not saving as often... which inevitably leads to lost work when you mess something up. (which we ALL do... we are human after all...)

It's NOT a complaint, though. I just look at it as recognizing the limitations of each program. PIM-X is better for seeing the overall picture of a lot, or even a set of lots... but using it as an editor for much more than LTEXT files is clunky. (but I find it VERY useful for that task) Likewise Reader 1.5.4 is good for searching the core files and visual UI edits... but not very useful for looking at the "big picture" of a lot or lot set.

Right tool for each job, and all! I wouldn't expect a chainsaw to be useful for fixing a doorknob, but a screwdriver can't cut up my firewood. ;^) (well, technically a screwdriver could be used to cut up wood, but it would be very bad at it!)

Back to it... again!

[metarvo 710]

I'm strictly a 0.9.3 Reader user.  I remember trying 1.5.4 for something once but never used it again so it must have done something I didn't like.  Anyway, don't worry about it; RL is always first when it comes to SC4 or any other game.

[RobertaME 1,376]

11 hours ago, metarvo said:

Anyway, don't worry about it; RL is always first when it comes to SC4 or any other game.

Thanks! I had a good time with Mom tonight. But before that... I finished my spelling and grammar checks! I'm packaging up my Alpha release right now!

It includes a lot more of the load balancing back end than I'd expected for the first release, pretty much the whole mod other than the custom query UIs and the experimental load balancing enforcement routines. (the part of the mod that creates artificial power usage if your power sources are out of balance, forcing power outages even though you technically have enough power... just the wrong KIND) I even managed to work in the routines for @Simmer2's Tesla Battery lots, so now if anyone else comes up with more lots like it, they can be integrated as well!

One of the major downsides to this mod is that it ONLY will work with lots that are specifically designed for it and that the mod recognizes. That means power plants and other electrical features outside the mod's design will just function normally. I think I can figure a way to integrate unrecognized power plants, just classifying anything that isn't specified otherwise as though it were peak load, but I have yet to figure out how to implement it.

Another thing I haven't accounted for yet is power plant degradation over time. Since power facilities reduce their actual power output the older they get, I need some way for my mod to recognize that and adjust expected output accordingly. Right now it assumes that all plants can output 100% for their entire life. (I may end up just eliminating power degradation over time if I can't solve that issue and adjust cost over time upwards by a proportional amount)

I'll post a link to the download as soon as I have it uploaded.

[Propfam 2,287]

Power degradation is indeed a great deal. Without it, the load balancer may fail or if we fixed it with the last resort technique, the realism is compromised. There's no plant in the world that has no degradation. Nuclear has one. Solar has one. Etc etc so on so forth. Also, make sure that "legacy" plants can be used alongside with SPA or whatever to be called is also an important thing, especially SPA doesn't include some plants for reasons such as realism (in case of antimatter) and mods that predates SPA which is many.

I still support you. Thanks.

[RobertaME 1,376]

OK... after a month of working this back and forth... much hand-wringing and frustration... Here is the Alpha release of

LINK TO ALPHA-2 version

EDIT: Re-link to latest version (ignore the rest below)

Here's the deal... in order for this to work, for now, you have to have ALL the supported lots installed. Additionally, there are key lots created by @Kloudkicker, so you'll need these support files...

KK Transformer Lots-Small

Here is the list of all supported lots: (NOTE! Some links point to the same web page because the lot is part of a set, e.g. both the 945 KW and 240 kW Diesel Generator are part of the same download, so both links point to the same page)

Creator        Original Name                            New Name
 Generators (Diesel and Natural Gas)
Pegasus        Diesel Generator                         1.8 MW Container Diesel Generator
Colyn          CSX Mini Power Plant RH                  945 KW Diesel Generator
Colyn          CSX Mini Generator                       240 KW Diesel Generator
Andreas Roth   Power Generator                          180 KW Natural Gas Generator
Simmer2        SM2 Mobile Power Generator L             120 KW Mobile Diesel Generator
kaos78414      Generator                                50 KW Diesel Generator
  Wind
deadwoods      Power-producing Windmill                 5 KW Wooden Wind Generator
Kloudkicker    KK Wind Farm Maintenance Facility        Wind Farm Maintenance Facility
Simmer2        Marine Wind Power                        (only the buoys are integrated, the turbines are not yet)
  Natural Gas
dk1            Methane Power Plant                      3.5 MW Natural Gas Power Plant
dk1            Methane Power Plant                      2.4 MW Natural Gas Power Plant
dk1            Power Plant                              2 MW Natural Gas Power Plant
dk1            Power Plant                              1.3 MW Natural Gas Power Plant
  Waste to Energy
Colyn          CSX LSU WasteTech RH                     45 MW Waste to Energy Plant
mrbisonm       Waste to Energy Plant                    4.5 MW Clean Waste to Energy Plant
  Geothermal
Pegasus        GeoThermal Power Plant                   10 MW Geothermal Power Plant
Simmer2        SM2 Geothermal Power Plant               8 MW Geothermal Power Plant
Pegasus        Geothermal Power Plant                   4 MW Geothermal Power Plant
Mathe Man      Geothermical power station               2 MW Geothermal Power Plant
  Solar
Simmer2        SM2 GE Solar Power Plant                 533 KW PV Power Plant
1dera3         Solar Station                            50 KW Remote PV Station
Simmer2        SM2 Modular Solar Panels 1X1             36 KW PV Panel Set
  Coal/Wood
Cat fan        Coal Power Plant                         28 MW Coal Power Plant
shoRt-mAn123   S.M. Power Plant                         6.5 MW Coal Power Plant
Shy Dude       Chicago Union Station Power Plant        2 MW Coal Power Plant
carrot1984     Medium Clean Coal Power Plant            25 MW Clean Coal Power Plant
fukuda         Lignite-fired power plant                20 MW Clean Coal Power Plant
SimGoober      Hardun Coal Power Plant                  10 MW Clean Coal Power Plant
shoRt-mAn123   Small Steam Power Plant                  3 MW Wood Pulp Power Plant
onlyplace4     Wild West Power House                    1 MW Wood Power Plant
  Oil
BIWDC          SC2k Oil Power Plant                     30 MW Oil Power Plant
mrbisonm       Nexis Emergency Diesel Power             4.5 MW Oil Power Plant
 Fission
BurroDiablo    Nuclear Plant                            1.2 GW Fission Power Plant
JPouX          Close-to-water EDF Nuclear Power Plant   112 MW Coastal Fission Plant
JPouX          Mainland EDF Nuclear Power Plant         112 MW Inland Fission Plant
 Electrical Features
Simmer2        SM2 HV Transformer                       500 kVA Distribution Substation
DK1            Substation                               1 MVA Distribution Substation
Pegasus        Distribution Substation                  2 MVA Distribution Substation
Simmer2        SM2 Main Transformer                     3 MVA Distribution Substation
Simmer2        SM2 Main Transformer with building.      5 MVA Distribution Substation
Pegasus        Power Sub-Station                        7 MVA Distribution Substation
Subgrav        Transformer Station                      10 MVA Distribution Substation
Simmer2        SM2 Transformer 1                        15 MVA Distribution Substation
Simmer2        SM2 Transformer 2                        25 MVA Distribution Substation
Takingyouthere Transformer lot (re-lot by Kloudkicker)  10 MVA Transmission Substation
homefryes      Small Substation                         20 MVA Transmission Substation (KK re-lot included in ZIP)
homefryes      Medium Substation                        35 MVA Transmission Substation (KK re-lot included in ZIP)
Simmer2        SM2 Transformer 3                        60 MVA Transmission Substation
Simmer2        SM2 Power Substation                     60 MVA Shoreline Substation
homefryes      Large Substation                         90 MVA Transmission Substation (KK re-lot included in ZIP)
homefryes      Huge Substation                          120 MVA Transmission Substation (KK re-lot included in ZIP)
Simmer2        SM2 Tesla Power Storage X Small          1.9 MWh Tesla Powerpack Station
Simmer2        SM2 Tesla Power Storage Small            3.7 MWh Tesla Powerpack Station
Simmer2        SM2 Tesla Power Storage Medium           9.3 MWh Tesla Powerpack Station
Simmer2        SM2 Tesla Power Storage Large            37 MWh Tesla Powerpack Station

I'm not sure how the game will respond if all of these are not installed. Maybe nothing, maybe CTD. Use at your own risk!

There is currently no Readme in the zip file, so here it is:

---

This Mod created by RobertaME. It was made possible with help from many people on Simtropolis and countless others over the years. I have examined hundreds of mods, lots, and other downloadable content in the past 18 years, each one helping me to understand how the game works and what you can do with it. Special mention goes out to CorinaMarie, who without her guidance and perseverance, this mod would not be possible.

WARNING!

This mod makes changes to ALL power lots, including the Maxis originals. It is HIGHLY recommended that you ONLY use this mod in new cities. Trying to use this mod in an established city may result in a corrupted save game. Prior to using this mod on an existing region, make a backup (as always) and delete ALL active cities in the region PRIOR to installing this mod. Use in an established city is NOT recommended and issues relating to use in an existing city will NOT be supported and may result in hair loss, sterility, temporary blindness, acute cough, dizziness, dry mouth, frustration, angst, and homicidal thoughts. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Installation:

Place the folders "ZZZZZ Simtropolis Power Authority" and "zzz Kloudkicker Industries" in your "My Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins" folder, along with all supported lot files and THEIR dependencies.

Uninstall:

I have NO IDEA what this mod will do once it's established in a new city. MAYBE you can bulldoze all power lots in the city, save and exit, then remove the mod, go back into your city and put in the necessary power lots... MAYBE. It's just as possible it will corrupt the save game, ruin your city, induce labor, begin Ragnarök, or just CTD. If you want to try it, be my guest. I take NO responsibility for lost save games in an attempt to remove this mod from cities it was built with. Best just to scratch anything you did with this mod off your hard drive with a sharp nail. (KIDDING! DO NOT DO THIS! Just Obliterate the city prior to uninstall)

Using the mod:

I have made every attempt to make the purpose and functionality of this mod PAINFULLY clear in the game's Advisor News Messages. Of critical importance is the Utilities advisor's initial greeting (which is modded to appear IMMEDIATELY on establishing a new city) and the message you get from him after placing your first Distribution Substation. Also the messages from your City Planner are key. These new reward messages contain information of every lot and how it is used.

I have also completely revised the Power Menu and all entries in it. All new icons have been created for everything in the power menu. (if you see an icon that doesn't match the rest, it's an unimplemented lot or feature) Additionally, new fluff text entries have been created to provide much more information to the player.

Issues:

THIS IS AN ALPHA RELEASE! There are unimplemented features in this mod that are still a work in progress. Of vital note is the fact that the Custom Queries are barely begun, so a lot of the information you would normally get here is only viewable (to a certain extent) in the Power menu. Also the Load Balancing Enforcement routines are NOT implemented yet. Nothing will stop you from breaking the rules of the mod... YET.

Notes:

This mod may not be distributed via any other electronic method other than direct download from the Simtropolis Power Authority Development Thread. Copying or re-uploading this mod to other internet locations is NOT permitted without express permission of the mod's original author. This author retains creative control over the content herein and grants authority for its use expressly for the purpose of testing.

---

Have at it!

Edit: Posted in the middle of writing it up!

Edit 2: Forgot the Electrical Features

Edit 3: Forgot the Tesla Lots!!! (they were the last things I integrated and the ones most likely to be broken... please advise if they are)

Edit 4: Clarifying why some links point to the same page. See NOTE above the links.

Edit 5: Add link to Kloudkicker's re-lot of the 10 MVA Transmission Substation

 

  Edited March 13, 2021 by RobertaME  
relink to Alpha-2 release

[RobertaME 1,376]

If anyone is interested in a MINIMAL set of required mods, Follow this procedure:

1. Download both ZIP files linked above
2. Download ALL Generator and Electrical Feature lots and their dependencies
3. Download KK Wind Farm Maintenance Facility and its dependencies
4. Install all in the Plugins folder
5. Go into "ZZZZZ Simtropolis Power Authority" and delete all files except Maxis.dat, Electrical.dat, Generators.dat, and Power_Lot_Balance.dat
6. ...
7. Profit!

It SHOULD work... no guarantees. Keep backups!

When I get closer to final release, I'll work on getting an installer that will (hopefully) detect what of the supported lots are installed and install the overrides for ONLY those lots. The rest of the override files will be installed in MyDocs\SimCity 4\STEX_Downloads\{final Mod name} so if you want to install any of them later, you can without having to re-run the installer again. (I don't really like installers as they're not platform independent, but the complexity of this mod almost REQUIRES one)